This invention relates generally to pinball games and, more particularly, relates to a roller assembly for use in mounting a pinball playfield within a pinball cabinet.
Pinball games typically consist of an inclined playfield on which is disposed a plurality of play features such as targets, ramps, bumpers, or the like. Player controlled flippers are mounted on the playfield and are used by a player to direct a ball at selected play features to control game play and score points. The control components connecting, monitoring, and controlling the play features are usually disposed on the underside of the playfield. Therefore, the playfield must be freely mounted within the pinball cabinet whereby the playfield may be lifted in order to access the componentry for repair or maintenance.
Current mounting devices used to mount the playfield within the game cabinet, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,807 to Schilling et al., comprise a pair of brackets mounted to the underside of the playfield, each engagable with a pivot stud mounted to either side of the game cabinet interior, and a hook piece used to connect the front of the playfield to the front of the game cabinet. Spring loaded latches are typically provided to further pivotally connect the ends of each bracket to the cabinet sides. To expose the underside of the playfield, the hook piece is disengaged and the playfield is slid forward on the studs until the spring loaded latches engage. Once the latches have engaged, the playfield may be pivoted back about the pivot studs so that the front of the playfield rests against the back cabinet to expose the underside thereof. To position the playfield in an intermediate position, a separate, unassociated prop arm is typically provided which is movable into engagement with the playfield for supporting the weight located at the front of the playfield.
While this system allows access to the underside of the playfield, the system is not "user friendly" in that the playfield typically binds on the studs, making movement thereof difficult, if not impossible, owing to the weight of the playfield. Furthermore, occasions arise where the spring loaded latches fail to properly engage thus preventing the secured pivoting of the playfield. In addition, should the prop arm not be utilized, the playfield may contact the front end of the game cabinet whereby the components mounted thereunder will become damaged. It has also been seen that, as currently employed playfield support mechanisms only support the front and rear of the playfield, it is required that the center of the playfield be supported by additional metal stripping attached thereto in order to prevent warping of the playfield surface. Such added material necessarily adds to the construction cost of the machine. It has been further seen that currently used mounting assemblies also make access to the components difficult in that, when the playfield is placed in the fully open position, the playfield becomes disposed at a position displaced from the front of the machine which is the location where service technicians typically have to stand in order to make repairs. For these reasons, a need exists for a pinball playfield mounting assembly which can easily and reliably be used to gain access to the components mounted under the playfield and which will also provide complete support to the playfield in an open position, a closed position, and an intermediate position.
As a result of these existing needs, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pinball playfield mounting assembly which will allow the user to easily and securely position the playfield in the desired open position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a means for allowing the playfield to be opened along a predetermined fixed path where the components mounted thereunder are protected from being damage by contact with the playfield cabinet.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pinball playfield mounting assembly which will secure the playfield within the cabinet when the playfield is in the closed position.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism whereby the playfield may be securely propped open in the substantially vertical direction at a location near to the front of the playfield cabinet.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which will support to the front, rear, and midsection of the playfield whereby warping of the playfield may be eliminated.